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Contact:
Michelle Garcia, ESL Tester, (913) 627-4387

Program Offers Full Scholarships to Prospective ESL Teachers

It's a way to attend college for free! And securing a job after college is virtually guaranteed. It may sound too good to be true, but it's not.

Kansas State University, in collaboration with Donnelly College, has announced a program called Project TEACH (Teacher Education Advocates for Culturally-diverse Hispanic populations) that offers four-year scholarships to high school graduates (or those with a GED equivalent) who aspire to be future ESL teachers.

Staff in the ESL department of the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools have been working in collaboration with Donnelly and K-State to get information about the program out to students in the area. Over the next several weeks, 20 high school graduates will be recruited for the program.

"This program provides a wonderful opportunity for students who need financial support to attend college," said Pedro Espinoza, associate director of recruitment and retention in the College of Education at Kansas State University. "And it's one of the few programs around that doesn't look at students' GPAs."

A set GPA level is not a requirement to apply. But students must meet the following criteria:

• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Have a financial need
• Be bilingual (proficient in English and one other language)
• Want to be an ESL teacher
• Be willing to teach for two years in Kansas

Students accepted into the program will attend two years of classes at Donnelly College and two years of classes at Kansas State University (which will include one semester of student teaching) resulting in a degree in elementary or secondary education with an emphasis in ESL education. Along with paid tuition, the program will provide academic support for students throughout their four years, money for books and a monthly stipend for living expenses.

"Students accepted into the program receive a lot of support from the very beginning,' Espinoza said. "We help them fill out their paperwork and make sure they get the academic support they need to succeed. Once they arrive at K-State, we set them up with housing and provide any other assistance."

Espinoza said he is happy to meet with prospective students, and their families, to answer questions or provide more details. He can be reached at (785) 532-2125.

To request a Project TEACH application by e-mail, send a message to jane@donnelly.edu or call (913) 621-8791. The application deadline is May 1, 2008.